Brushmaking machine



Sept. 19, 1944. H. CAVE ET AL 2,353,443

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 19,1944.

H. CAVE El' AL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet2 H. CAVE ET AL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 14 $heets Sheet3 5 N TOPS.

Sept. 19, 1944.

Sept. 19, 1944; H. CAVE ETAL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 14Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 19, 1944. H. CAVE ETAL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE FiledFeb; 16, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 '4 ENE) Sept. 19, 1944. CAVE AL2,358,443

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet e I mag/v70:

47- AA/EY Se t. 19, 1944; H. CAVE ETAL 2,358,443

I BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1.6, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 AVE/VTQRS.

1. I i E 4 O/P/VEY Sept. 19, 1944. H. CAVE ETAL 2,358,443

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. l6, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Sept. 19,1944. .H. cAvE ETAL I 2,358,443

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 Sept. 19,1944. H. CAVE ET AL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Feb.16, 1942 Sept. 19, 1944. H. CAVE EIAL 2,358,443

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Fgb. 16, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 E. A1 37 /Z!Sept. 19, 1944. H. CAVE ETAL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 12Filed Feb. 16, 1942 W? W 7//////////////// 7 Q X Sept. 19, 1944. H. CAVEETAL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 13 fi zlll ll Sept. 19, 1944. H. CAVE IEIAL 2,358,443

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE l4 Sheets-She et 14 Filed Feb. 16. 1942 PatentedSept. 19, 1944 BRUSHMAKING MACHINE Henry Cave, Hartford, Alfred H.Fuller, West Hartford, and Alfred L. Le Febvre, Windsor, Conn, assignorsto The Fuller Brush Company, Hartford, Comm, a corporation ofConnecticut Application. February 16, 1942, Serial No. 431,026

MlClaims.

This invention relates to the class of machines which are employed fortwisting wires to secure brush material within the twisted portionthereof, and an object of the invention, among others, is to provide amachine for automatically twisting the wires in a rapid and satisfactorymanner to secure the brush material within the twists.

One form of a brush wire twisting machine embodying the invention. andin the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as wellas others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which,

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a machine embodying theinvention, partially broken away to show construction.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same with supply sources removed.

Figure 3 is an end view looking at the end of the machine located at theleft in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view in frontelevation on en- 1 larged scale of therighthand end of the machine v as of Fig, '1.

Figure 6 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 6-6of Fig. 4. v

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the opposite end of themachine from that shown in Fig. 6 and on the broken line of Fig. 5.

Figure 8 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 8--8of Fig. 5.

Figure 9 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 9-9of Fig. 4.

Figure 10 is a view on enlarged scale in cross section on a planedenoted by the broken line l-l0ofFig.l.

Figure 11 is a perspective view, scale still further enlarged,illustrating mechanism for assembling the bristles and wires with thecentral portion of the figure broken out to show construction. f f

Figure l2 is'a view on the same scale as Fig. 11 illustrating theoperation of the slicing bar,

} Figure 13 is a view on a plane denoted by the broken line l3-l3 ofFig. 12. I

Figure 14 is a view ona plane denoted by .the

broken line let-l4 of Fig. 12. v Figure 15 is a view in section onaplane denoted by the broken line l4-"-|4 of Fig; 12, but showing thebristle carrier in a lower position' with means for holding the bristlesthereon.

Figure 16 is a view in section on a plane donoted by the dotted line l6--l6 of Fig. 15.

Figure 17 is a side view on enlarged scale of the chuck with partsbroken away to show construction.

Figure 18 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken linei8-l8 of Fig. 17.

Figure 19 is an end view of the chuck.

Figure 20 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line20-40 of Fig. 17.

Figure 21 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line2l2l of Fig. 17.

Figures 22 to 29 inclusive are explanatory views illustrating thedifferent positions of the chuck members in the operations of securingand releasing the wires.

The machine embodying this invention comprises a'base frame in which themain driving mechanism is located and a brush making frame mounted onthe base frame and supporting the brush making mechanism, the base framepreferably including two sections comprising opposite ends of said baseframe and of substantially the same size and form. Each of thesesections comprises side frames at opposite sides of each section andeach side frame includes side bars l0 extending lengthwise of thesection at the bottom thereof, supporting posts H at each end of eachsection and top bars I! connecting the posts at the top on each side ofeach frame, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. A motor supporting baseI3 is secured to the bottom side bars, extending across the frame on oneof the sections and a motor base It is mounted on said supporting basewith a motor generally indicated by the numeral limounted on the motorbase and connected as by a belt It with a main driving shaft I1supported in bearings in a reduction gearing case [8 secured to anddepending from the under side of a table i9 comprising the bottom orbase for the support of the brush making mechanism. The reductiongearing within the case l8 may be of any. well known form and furtherdescription is therefore omitted herein, sufiice to say that it includesa shaft 20 extending out at one side of the case and having sprocketwheels 2| and 22 secured thereto. Thesprocket wheel?! is connected by achain 23'with a sprocket wheel 24 secured to a cam shaft 25 extendingfrom end to porting shaft 29 which is hollow to receive the cam shaft 25that extends through the turret supporting shaft and is mounted insuitable bearings in the housings at each end of the main frame ashereinbefore mentioned. The shaft- 29 is supported by the cam shaft inany suitable manner, as by means of ball bearings (not herein shown)which permit rotation of the turret independently of the cam shaft.

The turret is composed of two spiders spaced apart and secured to theshaft 29. These spiders each includes a disk 30 having chuck supportingbosses 3| projecting therefrom in pairs, said bosses being united bywebs 32. The members of each pair are located directly opposite eachother and cooperate in the twisting action in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed, with the brief explanation that each chuck comprises a pinion33 secured to the chuck and meshing with the teeth of a stationary ringgear 34 at one end and a common gear 35 at the opposite end. The pinions33 at the righthand end of the machine, as shown in Fig. 4, mesh withthe teeth of the gear 35 which is stationary so that as the chucks withthe pinions 33 are revolved by the rotation of the turret the chuckswill be rotated in one direction. while the pinions 33 for driving thechucks in the opposite end of the turret meshing inside of the ring gear34 are rotated in an opposite direction, the chucks at opposite ends ofthe turret, being thus driven in opposite directions. effect quicktwisting action of the wires held by the chucks. The chucks are arrangedto grip the wires at different points: lengthwise thereof during eachtwisting operation in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The turret has an intermittent or step-by-step movement given to it in awell known manner as by means of a geneva movement comprising a starwheel 36 of ordinary construction secured to the turret supporting shaft29 and having the slots 31 therein engaged by a stud 36 on a crank arm39 secured to a turret driving shaft 40 mounting a sprocket wheel 4|which receives a sprocket chain 42 passing over an idler 43 and aroundthe sprocket wheel 22 hereinbefore mentioned as shown in Figs. 5 and 7.The shaft 40 is mounted at one end in a bearing in a standard 44 and atits opposite end in a bearing in a wall of the bottom section 26 of thehousing hereinbefore mentioned. The sprocket wheel 4| is rigidlyconnected to the driving member 45 of a one-revolution clutch, saidwheel and member being loosely mounted on the shaft 40. The drivennfember of the clutch is secured to the shaft 40 and includes a stopdisk 36 having a nose 4'! adapted to strike a stop 48 rotatably mountedon a pivot stud v49 secured to a standard 50 on the table l9 as shown inFig. 7. Said stop is rigid with a trip 5| having a spring arm 52 toreceive a spring 53 for yieldingly holding the stop in the path of thenose 41. The trip 5| is I housings'consists of a bottom and a topsection,

the bottom section 26 at each end of the main normally held by saidspring in the path of a tripping latch 54 pivotally mounted on a latchsupport 55 secured at one end to a pivot 56, a latch actuating arm 51being secured to the opposite end of the pivot which is rotatablymounted in the standard 50, said latch being yieldingly held in oneposition to engage the trip 5| to actuate the latter but yielding topermit return movement of the trip after its actuation of the stop 48,as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. A link 58 pivotally attached at oneend to the arm 5'! and at its opposite end to the lower end of a clutchtrip rod 59 connects said arm and trip rod, the upper end of said rodbeing pivotally attached to one end of a clutch tripping bar 60comprising two sections united by a pivot rotatably mounted in a bracket6| secured to an end of the top section 2 of the housing hereinbeforereferred to, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The other section ofsaid bar 60 has a roller riding in contact with a clutch actuating cam25 as shown in said Figures 2 and 3.

Bristle feed.--The chucks hereinbefore briefly mentioned are for thepurpose of twisting wires with bristles between them, the wires with thebristles between them being laid upon a transfer table by means of whichthey are presented between the members of each pair of chucks inposition for the wires to be grasped by the chucks. The bristles aretaken from a hopper in measured lots by a bristle feeding mechanismcontrolled by a one-half-revolution clutch operated from the cross camshaft 63. This mechanism comprises a sprocket wheel 61 secured to theshaft 53 and connected by a sprocket chain 68 with a sprocket wheel 69loosely mounted for rotation on a bristle feed shaft 10 rotatablymounted in bearings in brackets H secured in horizontally spacedrelation to and projecting from the side of the section 21 of thehousing hereinbefore mentioned. The sprocket wheel 69 is rigid with thedriving member 13 of a one-half-revolution clutch. The driven member 14of said clutch has noses diametrically located thereon in position forengagement with the stops 15 slidably mounted in brackets 12 and 16secured one above the other to the housing section 21.

The clutch just described is controlled in its operations by a clutchcam 11 secured to the cam shaft 63 and which controls the operation ofthe half-revolution clutch just described by means of a bell crank leverpivotally mounted in an extension 18 from the bracket 55, one arm 19 ofsaid lever being in contact with the cam 11 and the other arm of saidlever being connected by a rod 8| with an arm 82 secured to one end of apivot shaft 83 mounted in a web extending from the end of the lowerbracket 15, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. A bell cranklever is secured to the opposite end of said pivot and comprises an arm84 engaged with the lower stop 15 hereinbefore referred to. and theother arm 85 of said bell crank being pivotally connected to one arm 86of a similar bell crank pivotally mounted in a web at the outer end ofthe upper bracket 15, the other arm 81 of the last mentioned bell crankbeing engaged with the upper stop 15, as shown in Fig. 5.

ing bar and other mechanism is secured at its opposite ends to saidbrackets, as shown in Fig. 2. Grooved slicing bar supports 92 aresecured to the plate 9I, the inner ends of said supports being spacedapart at the lengthwise center of the machine. A slicing bar is slidablymounted in the grooves in the supports 92, this slicing bar comprisingtwo sections 93 spaced a slight distance apart at their adjacent endsand held in place by gibs 94 in an ordinary manner, as shown in Figs. 2,'l and 11. The adjacent ends of the slicing bar sections are tapered tosharpened edges and said sections are united by a tie bar 95 secured atits opposite ends to the sections, an adjustable securing means beingemployed at one end, this being shown at 96 at the righthand end in thedrawings herein. The tapered ends provide a depression or cavity 91 intowhich the bristles settle under the influence of a weight (not hereinshown). As the slicing bar traverses the bottom of a stack 96 ofbristles the sharpened ends slice off a layer of bristles as shown inFig. 12, and in a manner to be hereinafter described.

A supply of bristles and wires of which. the brushes made by the machineare composed is deposited in vertically arranged chutes in thelengthwise center and top of the machine for the supply of such materialto the pairs of chucks as they are successively moved by the turret topositions at its top. as shown in Fig. 1. A supporting plate 99 of angleiron is secured at its ends to the top sections 21 of the housingshereinbefore referred to, as shown in Figs. 2 and 11 of the drawings.and supporting brackets I for the plate 9| intermediate its ends andsupporting brackets IOI for the bristle and wire supply mechanism aresecured to the top of said plate 99. A chute for the stack of wires 02com prises posts I03 secured at their lower ends to flanges on thebrackets IOI as by means of clips I04, said posts being spaced apartsubstantially the length of the wires and having grooves extendingvertically therein for the reception of the ends of the wires, as shownin Figs. 11 and 15. The support for the stack 98 of bristles comprisesfour rods I arranged in pairs near opposite ends of the stack as shownin Figs. 12 and 13, said rods being secured as by welding to clips I06of angular shape attached as by means of screws to the supporting plate9I. The posts I03 and rods I05 are further supported by a strap I0'I ata distance above the bottom as shown in Figs. 1 and '7, said strap beingsecured at its ends to the posts I03. A plate I03 for the support of thebristle stack on their back ends is secured at its bottom to the clipsI06 and upwardly thereof to the strap I01, this plate being for thepurpose of aligning the ends of the bristles in the stack.

A carrier I09 is mounted for vertical reciprocating movement underneaththe stack 98 of bristles, a layer of bristles with wires on oppositesides thereof being deposited upon the carrier and the latter beingoperated by mechanism now to be described.

A sprocket wheel H0 is secured to the cam shaft 25 as shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings and for securing the parts together.

a sprocket chain III' extends from said wheel to a sprocket wheel II2secured to a cam shaft 3 mounted in hearings in bracket arms II4 securedto and extending from a plate II5 secured between the two sections 262'Iof the housings as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The cam shaft II3has a carrier operating cam H6 and a wire feed cam III secured thereto.A carrier operating rod H3 is forked at one end to straddle the shaftII3 the fork being of rectangular shape to receive a square bearingblock loosely mounted on the shaft II3 as shown in dotted lines in Fig.6. The fork carries a roller 9 located in a groove within the cam I I6,this cam being shaped to properly operate the rod the end of which issecured to an arm I20 secured at its end to a carrier rock shaft I2Ijournaled in brackets l22-I23 secured to the supporting plate 99 asshown in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawings. The shaft I2I has carriersupporting arms I24 extending therefrom on opposite sides of the bracketI23, the ends of the arms being connected by links I25 with a carriersupporting tube I26 mounted for vertical sliding movement in a hub I2Icomprising a part of the bracket I23, said tube having a flexibleconnection I29 with a source of suction (not shown), as seen in Figs. 3,7 and 10, the mounting of the tube I26 being shown in Figures 10 and 15and others.

The carrier I09 has a round threaded opening at one end to receive thethreaded end of the tube I26, the carrier and the opening thereingradually spreading outwardly to a mouth I 29 at that end opposite theconnection with the tube I26 as shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14. A seat I30of a bracket for supporting a presser mechanism to be presentlydescribed is secured between the end of the carrier and a lock nut 'I3IThe carrier terminates in a table I32 at its front end with lugs I33 forsupporting blocks I 34 of rubber or similar material for packing theends of the slot at the mouth of the carrier against leaking of air,said blocks being held in place by resilient holders I35 secured to thebottom of the lugs I33 as by means of screws entered through slots inclips I36 as shown in Fig. 12. A toothed retainer I31 having rows ofteeth on opposite edges is secured to the top of the table to maintainthe arrangement of bristles on the table, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 ofthe drawings. This retainer or retaining plate I31 has a slot openinginto the mouth of the carrier to connect with a source of reduced airpressure from within the carrier'to the layers of bristles upon theplate in a manner to be presently shown in a description of theoperation of the machine.

Wire feed.Wire carrying bars I 38 are mounted for reciprocating slidingmovement-underneath the opposite ends of the stack I02 of wires, saidstack being supported by said bars, as shown in Figs. 12 and 14. Thesebars slide in grooves in the sides of plates I39 secured by screws tothe sides of the brackets IOI, as shown in Fig. 11, holes being thusformed through which said bars extend. The ends of the bars are formedwith wire receiving'pockets I40 into which the wires enter in a mannerto be hereinafter described. A hole I extends lengthwise within each baracross a slot I42 into each pocket and to the opposite end of the bar. Awire feed control I43 is located for sliding controlling movement ineach of the holes III, the controlling ends of these controls being cutback on bevels I44 and being adapted to pass to opposite sides of theslots I82. The opposite ends of the controls have slots I85 to receivepins I 88 for uniting the bars I88 with wire feed actuating bars I8 1,the ends of said bars being forked to receive the endsvof the said barsI88, as shown in Figs. 11 and 13. Said actuating bars are mounted inbearings I 88 supported in the plate 98 and a yoke I50 connects the endsof the actuating bars I81. A stem I'5I extends from the end of each feedcontrol into contact with a spring I52 in a hole I58 extending inwardlyfrom between the forks of each of the actuating bars, as shown in Fig.14. Releasing lugs I58 on the feed controls I88 are adapted to engagestop screws I58 screw threadedly engaged with a lug on the brackets I88,as shown in Fig. 14. A guide I58 extends through a bearing I51 securedin the flange of the plate 99.

A stub I58 from the guide I 58 which extends through the yoke I58 isconnected by links I58 with a wire feed actuating lever I88. The lever I80 is secured to one end ofa wire feed shaft "I mounted in bearings inbrackets I82 secured to and extending from the flange on the supportingbar 99 near opposite ends of the shaft as shown in Figs. 2 and 10. Awire feed actuating arm I 88 is secured to and. extends downwardly fromthe end of the shaft I8I opposite the lever I80 and has a roller engagedin a cam groove I88 in the wirefeed cam II1.

A presser actuating shaft I85 is mounted in the brackets I82 adjacentthe shaft I8I, one end of this presser actuating shaft having anactuating arm I88 with a roller in engagement with the periphery of thecam II1 for engagement by a cam I81 on said periphery for momentaryrelease of a presser to press a wire upon the top of a layer of bristleson the carrier in a manner to be hereinafter described. The end of theshaft I85 opposite the arm I88 has a presser actuating lever I88 securedthereto and has an adjusting screw I89 to engage the end of a springpressed plunger I10 having a release actuator I'll adapted to engage aroller on a presser release lever I12. Pressers I18 are located onopposite sides of a bracket I18 secured to the supporting tube I28 bymeans of the seat I80 hereinbefore mentioned, these pressers beingpivotaliy actuated by pins I15 entered through irregularly shaped slotsI18 in the pressers, as shown in Figs. 10 and 15. Each presser has anotch I11 on its lower edge adapted to be engaged by a trigger I18secured to one end of a trigger operating shaft I12 mounted in ears inthe bracket I18 and to the other end of which shaft the lever I12 issecured as shown in Fig. 16. The bracket I18 which is mounted on thecarrier I09 and tube I28 is supported in its movements by a guide I19secured to the horizontal part of the supporting plate 99 and betweensaid plate and the bracket I28 as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. A presseractuating arm I8I is secured to each end of a presser actuating shaftI82 journaled in the opposite side parts of the bracket I18. The armsI8I have at their outer ends slots to receive pivot pins I88 secured toand extending from the sides of the pressers I18 as shown, in Fig. 15.Springs I88 securedl at their opposite ends to the pressers I18 and tothe actuating arms I8I draw the pressers downwardly and clamp thebristle mass and wires against the carrier when the pressers actuated bysprings I85 secured at their opposite ends to the spring arms I80 and tothe bracket are moved to their active positions, see Fig. 15. .A stopI88 located in the path of a stop pin I81 secured to and projectingupwardly from a foot I88 at the lower end of the carrier guide I18operates to reset the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 10.

The operation of the machine thus far described is as follows:

A layer of bristles held between two wires having been placed by thecarrier in position for opposite ends of the wires to be grasped byoppositely disposed chucks at Station No. 1 at the top of the turret,and the wires having been secured by the chucks for a twisting operationin a manner to be hereinafter described. the carrier is seen in itslowermost position to avoid interference with the movement of the turretto position the next succeeding pair of chucks to receive another loadcomprising two wires with a layer of bristles between them, as shown inFig. 10. The cam 82 has Just operated the lever which through the triprod 59 operated the trip mechanism shown in Fig. 7 to withdraw the stop88 from the nose 81 of the one-revolution clutch thereby permittingaction of the driving member 85 of the clutch to operate the turretdriving shaft 80. This operation has started rotation of the crank arm89 and the stud 88 is seen in Fig. '1 as entering the mouth of a slot 81in the star wheel 88 to impart a one-step movement to the turret, at theend of which movement the stop 88 engaging the nose 81 will release theclutch in a manner well known and the one-step movement of the turretwill cease with a pair of empty chucks in position to receive a loadcomprising two wires with a layer of bristles between them.

During the start of this indexing of the turret the cam II8 (see Fig.10) through its connection including the rod II8 with the carriersupporting arm I28 retains the carrier in its lowermost position untilthe load held by the chucks in the first position at the top of theturret is moved to the right sufliciently to clear the carrier in itsupward movement which movement will also move the carrier above the pathof the advancing pair of chucks to receive their load and at the stationat the top, as shown in Figure 10. During this interval the cam II1operating through the connection including the wire feed actuating armI68, shaft I8I, wire feed lever I80, yoke I50 and bars I81 moves thewire carrying bars I88 from the position shown in Fig. 14 to theirforward positions as shown in Fig. 15, but with the wire feed controlsI88 retained in their positions relative to the bars I88 as shown inFig. 14. This movement carries a wire forward into the path of upwardmovement of the carrier. The cam II8 continues movement of the carrierto its full height as seen in Figs. 12 and 14 in which movement thecarrier encounters thewire on the wire carrier and moves it upwardly tothe positions shown in Figs. 12 and 13 and in position to receivethereon a layer of bristles.

While the carrier is in its raised position as Just described the clutchcam 11 operating through the bell cranks 19-80, rod 8I, and arm 82 withthe other connections operates one of the stops 15 to release thedriving member of the half-revolution clutch, thereby establishingoperation of said clutch to rotate the bristle feed shaft 10 and thecrank arm 88 with the connecting rod 89 to shift the slicing bar 98 tothe position shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 11. As the cavity 91 between thetwo sections of the slicing bar passes under the stack 98 of bristlesthe tion shown in Figure 15 to the position shown in Figs. 1 to ashereinbefore related.

tion moving the barin one direction only and in the next operationmoving said bar in the opposite direction, a layer of bristles beingdeposited upon the carrier in each of said movements of the slicing barand each of said movements of the slicing bar taking place during eachone-step movement of the turret of the machine.

When a layer of bristles has been deposited upon the carrier as justdescribed the cam III operates with the mechanism hereinbefore mentionedto lower the carrier to the position shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 11. Inthis position the cam I", through the connections hereinbeforedescribed, operates the wire feed actuating bar I41 to move it from theposition shown in Fig. 14 to the position shown in Fig. 11. In thisoperation the cam H1 is shaped to move the bar I38 a short distancefurther than hereinbefore described in delivering the first wire on tothe carrier before the layer of bristles was deposited thereon. Thisfurther movement moves the releasing lugs I54 against the stop screwsI55 before the carrying bars I38 reach their limit of movement. The wirefeed controls I43 being thus stopped, the slots I42 in the bars I38 areuncovered and the wire in said slots drops on to the layer of bristleson the carrier as shown in Fig. 11. Immediately following this depositof the second wire on top of the layer of bristles on the carrier thepressers I13 are moved into engagement with the top wire to hold it downupon the top layer of bristles as shown in Fig. 11. This movement of thepressers is influenced by contact of the releasing actuator "I carriedby the plunger I10 which is actuated by the cam I61 through the arm I66, presser actuating shaft I65, and presser actuating lever I68 to movethe plunger forward from the position shown in Fig. 10. This operationreleases the triggers I18 from the notches I11 whereupon the springs I85acting upon the levers I80 swing the actuating arms I8I forward to thepositions shown in Fig. 15. In this lengthwise movement of the pressersthe cam slots I16 in connection with the pins I15, the pressers beingpivoted by the pins I83, move the pressers upwardly and then downwardlyin a curved path to engage the wires in the position shown in Figure 15,and said cam slots and pins in a reverse movement of the pressers willmove the latter upwardly, rearwardly, and then downwardly into theposition shown in Figure 10. This reverse movement being started by thedownward movement of the carrier from its position shown in Figure 15 toits lowermost position shown in cured at their lower ends Fig. 10 lowersthe bracket I14 and causes the stop I86 to encounter the stop pin I81thereby rotating the presser actuating shaft I82 and consequently theswinging arm IBI to move the pressers backwardly to their inoperativepositions during the downward movement of the As hereinbefore mentionedthe pinions 33 at opposite ends of the turret mesh with the gears 34-",one being an internal ring gear and the other a common gear, so that thechucks which the pinions operate are rotatedin opposite directions totwist the wires. The gears 34-35 by reason'of their diflerences inconstruction being of different sizes and the pinions 33 of each pair ofchucks being in axial alignment the teeth of the pinions and gears atopposite ends of the turret are so arranged that their gear ratios arethe same and the chucks at the load-- ing and unloading stations arealways in proper position; for the slots 223 therein to permit freedischarge of the twisted brushes and the reception of loads of bristlemasses and wires although no effort has been made in the drawings hereinto bring out in detail this gear ratio arrangement. As hereinbeforedescribed the chucks are loaded with the wires and the bristles at theNo. 1 station at the top of the turret as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 10.The turret is rotated by a step-by-step movement as hereinbeforedescribed and from the No. 1 station located at the top as seen in Figur10 the wires are partially twisted in their movement to the secondstation the next at the right, as seen in Figure 10. In the movement ofthe turret to the next or third station further twist is imparted to thewires, and in the movement from the thirdto the fourth station stillfurther twist is given to the wires. The chucks to be presentlydescribed are so arranged that the wires are first grasped by the chucksin a position close to the bristles so that the wires are twisted as tothe central portion containing the bristles and this takes place in themovement of the turret from the first to the fourth station. At thispoint the chucks are operated to grasp the wires at the extremities andthe wires are then twisted as to the outer ends, being that portion freefrom bristles, in the next four step-by-step movements from the bottomto the next to the top or eighth station at the left, as shown in Figure10. .The free ends of the wires take a lit-' tle more twist than theparts containing the bristles and this increased twist is given in thefour step-by-step movements from the fourth to the eighth stations,whereas the parts containing the bristles were fully twisted in thethree step-by-step movements from the first to the fourth stations. Thechucks are now operated, to release the wires and the latter aredischarged by mechanism as follows. A supporting strap I89 is secured toand extends downwardly from the vertical flange on the supporting plate99 being secured at its lower end to the top I90 of a discharge frameincluding sides I9I extending from the top downwardly and se-' to thebottom sections 26 of the housings located at opposite ends of theturrets as hereinbefore described, and as shown in Figs. 7 and 10 of thedrawings. A cross member I92 of said frame supports one end of carrierto its lowermost position. This com-" pletes the operation of loadingthe carrier with a layer of bristles deposited between the two wires andwith this load in the position shown in Fig. 15 to be grasped by thechucks at opposite ends of the wires, as soon as the wires are graspedthe carrier being lowered from the posilower track members I93, uppertrack members I94 of the track composed of said members being supportedby the top I of the track supporting frame. A pivoted member I95 of saidtrack comprising a bottom and side tracks at opposite ends of saidbottom is pivotally attached at the lower ends of said tracks to thelower track members I93 and a spring I96 secured to and projecting fromthe supporting frame into contact with the bottom of the oted member illbiases said member to its lower and normal position. Electors III arelocated at the free ends of ejector springs Ill secured to brackets Illattached to the inner surface of the flange of the supporting plate llas shown in Fig. 10. A support III is secured to the brackets III, asshown between the brack- Fig. 10, encountering the bottom of each trackmember I95 and forcing said members upwardly against the tension of thespring I" and to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10, thebrushes carried by the turret passing underneath the bottom of saidtrack member and into the curved supp rt "I, encountering the bottomedges of the ejectors I91 that are forced upwardly against the tensionof the springs I", at this point the brushes being still held by thechucks. The chucks now releasing the brushes, the electors force thebrushes out of the chucks through slots 2" therein, the wires atopposite ends of the brushes passing on to the upper edges of the trackflaps ill from whence they roll on to the upper edges of the sides ofeachpivoted track member I95 which member has been returned to itslowered position against the stop 20: immediately upon passing of thebrushes upwardly into the support 200; From the edges of the trackmember I95 the brushes travel downwardly into and along the slotsbetween the track members "3-"! from the ends of which slots saidbrushes may be delivered into a container placed for their reception butnot herein shown. a

By mechanism to be now described suction is automatically created in thecarrier ll! through the tube I26 and connection III to retain thebristles in place on the carrier while it is being lowered away from thestack. This is obtained by vacuum transmitted from the connection I28 tothecarrier I" when the latter is in its raised position shown in Figs.12 and 14 and is continued until the carrier reaches its dischargingposition as shown in Figr 11 at which time the vacuum is shut on. Thisis effected by means of a valve on a shaft 204 to one end of which avalve operating arm 20! is secured, the other end of the shaft havingsecured thereto an arm 208 with a spring 2 attached at one'end and atits opposite end to the tube I26 in such position that-the spring willbe swung to opposite sides of the shaft 204 in the movement of the arm,thereby eflecting a snappin movement of the valve in opposite directionsas the spring passes the axis of the shaft'fll. A valve operating rod 2"attached at its upper end to the arm 20! passes downwardly looselythrough a rod supporting lip 2| I attached to the upper end of thecarrier supporting hub I21, said rod comprising two sections pivotallyconnected as shown in Fig. 7. The lower section passes through saidsupport and also through a plunger 2 and through the horizontal portionthe supporting plate 99, actuassaus' pivto the lower end of the rod andthe opening for said rod in the plunger being a slotted opening so thatthe plunger may have a movement laterally oi'the rod. This lower sectionof the rod also passes through a supporting lip 2H extending laterallyfrom the hub I21. The plunger 20! extends through a bearing 2l2 mountedon the horizontal portion of the supporting plate ll, said plunger beingactuated in one direction by a spring 2|! and in the opposite directionby an adjusting screw 2 in the upper end of the presser actuating leverlit.

In operation, when the carrier is moved to its uppermost position shownin Figs. 12 and 14 the presser actuating lever I68 and the pressers arein their inoperative positions as shown in Fig. 10. This upward movementof the carrier also effects upward movement of the connection I2! andthe valve operating rod 201 carried thereby.

Just before these parts reach the limit of their upward movement thestops 2H1 strike the under side of the horizontal portion of thesupporting plate 89, thereby swinging the arm 205 downwardly carryingthe spring 2" past the axis of the shaft 204 and snapping the vacuumvalve to its open position and creating vacuum in the carrier as itreaches its upward position in contact with the stack of bristles. Thisvacuum is maintained during downward movement of the carrier toitsposition shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 15, thereby retaining the bristlesin place on the carrier. Immediately upon the carrier reaching thisposition the cam I61 through the connections hereinbeiore describedoperates the presser actuating lever I" to move the release actuator l1!and release the triggers I18 from the notches I11, thereby permittingthe springs I85 to move the pressers into the positions shown in Fig. 15

' and against the top wire upon the bristle mass. 40 This-movement ofthe actuating lever I68 thrusts the plunger2l9 against the block 2l5thereby moving the valve operating rod 201 upwardly carrying the spring2 past the axis of the shait 204 and snapping the valve to its closedposition, thereby terminating the vacuum in the carrier, it being notedthat as said carrier was moved irom its uppermost position to itsintermediate or discharge position shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 15 the stop2|. was lowered from contact with the horizontal portion 01' thesupporting as the chucks grasped the wires in a manner now to bedescribed.

In the machine herein shown there are eight chucks equally spaced on theturret, each pair ccomprising chucks located opposite each other atopposite ends of the turret. As hereinbefore explained, each chuck isrotatably mounted in a boss on the turret and the chucks at oppositeends or the turret are rotated in opposite directions by means ofpinions 33 meshing with gears "-35, the gear on the left as shown inFig. 5 being a ring gear. The chucks of themselves are all alike but themounting is a little diiferent in that the chucks on the right as seenin Fig. 4 are movable lengthwise whil those on the left as shown in Fig.5 have no lengthwise movement. The lengthwise movable chucks shown onthe right hand end of the turret, see Figure 4, are

ating stops 2|. in the form of nuts being secured all of the sameconstruction and a description

